Liverpool scientists awarded major grant by arthritis charity
SCIENTISTS in Liverpool have been awarded a major grant of £121,516 by leading medical research charity the Arthritis Research Campaign for research into the crippling condition of rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, affects around 600,000 people in the UK, and causes inflammation in the lining of the joint, leading to pain, swelling and stiffness. It is thought to be caused by white blood cells called T cells, and can be triggered by an infection.
Doctors and researchers at Liverpool University's clinical departments at the University Hospital in Aintree (formerly Fazakerley Hospital) will spend the next three years trying to find out which infections trigger the condition.
"T cells normally attack proteins from pathogens, protecting the body from infection," explained Dr Robert Moots, senior lecturer in rheumatology at Liverpool University and leader of the team.
"In RA, however, they may attack proteins of the body itself, in joint, resulting in damage and deformity. Results from this study may tell us which infections trigger RA and help us to design new treatments, where the T cells that cause joint damage are selectively switched off."
"It may also help us to understand more about the other "autoimmune" conditions such as multiple sclerosis."
Dr Moots has recently returned from Harvard University in the USA, where pilot experiements indicated that this approach shows much promise.
The ARC is the only medical research charity which exists to find the cause of and cure for arthritis, and all forms of rheumatic disease. Last year it raised more than £21m for research, from public donations and legacies.
